Closure wall construction



May 16, 1933. R. L. CARR CLOSURE WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnv'enl'or' align/L May 16,1933. R. L R 1,909,167

CLOSURE WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ina/en for Patented May 16, 1933 PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND L. CARR, OFjBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS CLOSURE WALL CONSTRUCTION Application filed June 12, 1929. Serial No. 370,393.

This invention relatesto an improvement in vehicle body construction and more particularly to a new formof closure wallespecially advantageous in converting a body from an open to a closed type.

The present invention provides an inexpensive construction which may be utilized in convertible bodies or in analogous installations, being particularly adapted to afford a 0 superior substitute for the foldable or removable posts or filler members which ordinarily are employed adjoining the closure panels of convertible vehicle bodies. Means are provided which cooperate with the closure panels in forming a closure wall which is free from rattles or undue wear even under abnormay body strains, while the various closure members may be independently movable without interference with each other and may preferably form a continuous transparent closure wall extending along substantially the entire side of the vehicle body without interruption by opaque posts, filler'members or the like.

The above and further objects and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading" of the subjoined description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying 39 drawings, in which: i

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevational view of a portion of an automobile body showing the closure wall construction, part of the outer wall of the body being broken away toshow the arrangement of the panel guides, etc.

Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view through the top and a portion of the side of a vehicle body; 5

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the assembly shown in Fig. 2, the post being shown in its retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the assembly shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the structure disclosed in Fig. 1, the section being taken adjoining the rear end of the front door;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 6; i

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a portion of the closure walll assembly adjoining the vehicle, p;

Fig. 9 is a section 011 line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail showing another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view on line 1111 of Fig. 1.

A vehicle body of the character exemplified by the accompanying drawings is provided with a plurality of slidably mounted closure panels which are movablefrom a concealed position within the body wall to an operative positionthereabove, wherein their upper edges engage portions of the vehicle top. For example, the doors D and D carry closure panels 1 and 2. The rear body panel 4 may carry a similarly mounted closure panel 3. These closure panels may comprise transparent plates with unframed vertical and upper marginal portions. The lower edges of these plates may be carried in the panel holders 5 to opposite ends of which are welded or otherwise secured supporting elements 6. Preferably supporting elements 6 and'the closure panels have a similar thick ness and are both slidable in the vertical guideways 7 upon the front and rear walls of the hollow body panels. Anysuita'ble lifting'mechanisms (not shown) may be utilized for lifting and lowering the various panels.

The front edge of door D may be spaced from the windshield standard S, as is com mon in open car bodies. The standard may carry'an auxiliary windshield wing 10 in the form of a transparent panel having upper and lower'frame members 12 and 13 and an unframed rear edge 15. Preferably the front portion of this panel is pivotally mountedv upon the windshield standard, as designated by numeral 17. When swung to its innermost position, panel 10 preferably projects rearwardly of the forward portion of the panel 1 substantially to overlap the same, as shown more specifically in the sectional View of Fig. 11.

The top T may be of conventional form, either rigid or foldable, and is provided with valance members 18 of any suitable form which terminate, as designated by numeral 19, adjoining each end of the closure panels. 100

Since members 6 and the edges of the panels are aligned, the panels are movable upwardly into operative positions directly above their concealed positions. Accordingly there is a space between the. panels somewhat greater than the corresponding dimensions of the door post and/or the adjoining structure of the body panels.

One aspect of the present invention is directed more particularly to means designed to occupy this space between the juxtaposed margins of the panels, while avoiding the utilization of rigid members which are fold able or detachable. In order to permit the space between the edges of panels 1 and 2 to be nominal, I may utilize a door post of re stricted width, designated by the numeral 22, Fig. 7 with the door latch shaft 23 located outwardly of this post, a portion of this shaft being carried in the holder 35 within the overlapping extension 39 of the door and a portion thereof lying in the space between the doors. The inner shaft may be provided with a crank arm 4K0 engaging lat-ch lever 41 of the door latch mechanism 49, a suitable opening 43 in the rear wall of the door being providedto permit projection of member 40 through the same.

I preferably employ a flexible strip of material which, in the recommended form, may be transparent to overlap the juxtaposed margins of the panels and to comprise therewith a continuous transparent weather-tight closure wall. As shown in Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8

- and 9, I may provide a strip 25 of pyroxylin,

or similar cellulosic material which is preferably transparent, flexible, and comparatively tough and immune to scratches, this strip being wound upon a conventional spring roller 29 contained within casing 26, the end of the strip being provided with a hooklike fastening member 27 having an upstanding linger-hold 28.

The inner portions of the upper corners of the doors preferably are shaped to provide recesses for receiving the casing 26 in a position above the door post and fairly close to the closure panels, thus affording a. more compact assembly; for example, the inner wall of each door may be cut away, designated by numeral 4.7, the margins of the cut away portions being bent inwardly, as designated by numeral 42. Casing 26 preferably is provided with an outstanding lip 29 to direct the strip 25 upwardly and outwardly toward the closure panels. In order to hold the strip firmly against these panels I provide roller 30 supported upon resilient arms 31 which are secured to the bracket 32. The latter is attached to the upper end of door post 22 and supports casing 26, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Thus roller 30 always tends to hold strip 25 in engagement with marginal portions of the closure panels, whether the strip is in its operative or inoperative position or whether the panels are raised or lowered; in other words, in its lowermost position each panel will have its upper edge substantially upon a level with the upper edge of the body wall so that at all times the member 25 will engage some portion of the panel.

lVhen the handle 27 is pulled to extend strip 25, the spring roller within casing 26 provides suitable tension to hold the strip taut and to secure fastening means 27 in en gagcment with the member 38 that is concealed by the top. It will be noted that the shape and disposition of the parts ensure the upper portion of the strip 25 being held in firm engagementwith the closure panels (Fig. 8); member 38 may be a link of the top or any suitable bracket secured thereto. It is accordingly evident that when the strip 25 is in its operative position it is held firm ly against the marginal portions of the raised panels due to the tension cast thereon by the spring roller 29 cooperating with member 38. Thus, even under conditions of body weaving or twisting or distortion of the chassis frame, the strip is adapted to be held in overlapping weathcr-tight engagement with adjoining margins of the closure panels.

A strip similar to that mounted between panels 1 and 2. may be employed between panels 2 and 3, the roller casing being mounted upon the rear body panel l.

Figs. 2. 3, el and 5 show a similar form of construction wherein the flexible strip somewhat thicker and is retractible to a concealed position in the vehicle top rather than in a casing adjoining the vehicle wall. Vehicle top T may be provided with suitable bow members 50 or tubular casings in the form of bow members which are aligned with the spaces between the closure panels. Preferably a block 51 is located in the centra portion of each of the members 50. Secured to either end of this block is a coil spring 5- 1. Connected to the opposite end of eaclrcoil spring 54 is the post or closure member 57 which may be of any suitable flexible inatcrial such as rubber, celluloid, or a composition of formaldehyde and urea such as described in Patent- No. 1,507,624: to Pollak et al. In any case this strip has suiiicient flexi bility to permit its followf. l the curvature of member 50 and permitting its remaining taut under action of spring 54.

In the recommended form, strip 57 is provided with an outstanding vertical rib 58 defined by slanting front and rear sin-faces 59. Rib 58 is preferably so dimensioned that it will project between adjoining marginal portions of the closure panels, as shown more jiarticularly in Fig. 3, thereby aidingthe maintenance of a weather-tight closure wall. A hook member 60 is provided upon the low er part of the body portion of member 57, being so arranged that the outer surface of ISO 1% spring roller mechanism in. the previously I described form of the 111vent1on,scrvmg to retreat the member 57 to a posltion wherein it is concealed within casing 50 when the hook is detached from bracket 61 and serving to hold member 57 taut and thus in engagement with the closure panels when the strip and panels are in their operative positions.

It is evident that the retractible strips shown in both forms of the invention may be located in operative position when the closure panels are in inoperative position or that the panels may be lifted or lowered when the strips are either in their operative or retracted positions. Obviously means of this character are useful in other installations wherein it is desirable to close the space between adjoining closure panels, and especially where it is desirable to do this with a transparent member. One such use of a strip of this character is shown in Fig. 10 wherein the closure panels 71 and 72 have their beveled edges in juxtaposed relation after the manner disclosed in my copending prior application N 0. 91,209, filed February 27, 1926. Thus, in a closure wall of this type having beveled marginal portions of the closure panels in overlapping position, it may be desirable in case of unusually disagreeable weather to provide means positively closing the small clearance space between the panels. For this purpose a closure strip 125, corresponding in characteristics and installation to member 25, may be advantageously utilized.

Obviously a body composed of the various elements herein described may be provided at a low cost and is simple, free from rattles, and may have attractive weathertight clo sure walls when desired. Thus the auxiliary windshield panel 10 in its overlapping arrangement with the closure panel 1 fills the space between the front closure panel and the windshield standard without necessity of particularly accurate fitting or without danger of rattling, while the flexible strips between the closure panels permit a light, simple, inexpensive structure, resulting in a substantially. continuous tranr; parent closure wall which is not affected by considerable twisting or distortion of the vehicle body or frame.

I I claim:

1. A vehicle body comprising a body wall, a top overhanging the body wall, rigid closure panels movable from a concealed po sition in the body wall into a position above the body wall, said panels having substan tially parallel edges, a member movable from a concealed'position along a path parallel to said edges to a position engaging the panels when they are inaforesaid position, and spring controlled means for retracting the member from that position to its concealed position. i I

2. The subject matter of claim l'further characterizedin that the panels and member engage each other, in either the concealed or operative position of the former. I

3. The subject matter of claim 1 further characterized in that the spring means holds the member taut whenit is in its panel engaging position; j

4. In a vehicle body, a retractible flexible member, a spring for drawing the member toward its retracted position, rigid closure panels at either side of the member, and fastening means for holding the member in a position in which it yieldably engages the panels, the spring holdingthe flexible member taut in its panel engaging position.

5. The subject matter of the preceding claim 4 characterized in that the closure panels and the flexible member are both formed of transparent material and to have transparent portions in mutual engagement to pro vide a continuous transparent closure wall.

6. In a vehicle, the combination comprising a bodywall affording pockets, a top wall above the body wall, window panels slidable from the pockets into a position wherein they extend between the walls with their adjoining edges spaced from each other, a flexible closure member movable from a substantially concealed position adjoining one of the walls to an operative position therebetween, said closure member when in its operative position bridging the space between the adjoining edges of the panels, a spring associated with said closuremember and tending to draw it toward its concealed position, and fastening means to hold the member in its operative position against the action of the spring.

7. In a vehicle, the combination comprising a body Wall affording pockets, a top Wall above the bodywall, window panels slidable from the pockets into a position wherein they extendbetween thewalls with their adjoining edges spaced from each other, a flexible closure member movable from a substantially concealed position adjoining one of the walls to an operative position therebetween, said closure member when in its operative position bridging the space between the adjoinin edges of the panels, a spring associated with said closure member and tending to draw it toward its concealed position, and a handle carried by the closure member, and a fixed part engageable with the handle to limit the movement of the member action of the spring.

8. Vehicle body comprising a body wall including a door and an adjoining section each providing a pocket, a pair of closure panels carried by the respective sections, said panels under the being independently movable upwardly from the pockets to a raised position thereabove, guide means to direct said panels, a top over the body Wall and contactible with said pan- 75 els in their raised positions, the panels When raised having adjoining substantially vertical edges in spaced relationship, and a closure element movable from a concealed position in the body wall along a substantially 10 vertical path and When raised contacting the top at the upper end of said path, said panels having their adjoining edges contacting the element throughout their paths in both the concealedand raised positions of said ele- 115 ment.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 11th day of June 1929.

. R. L. CAR-R. 

